1. Field of the Invention
This invention is generally directed to benches used to stabilize firearms for purposes of sight alignment, target shooting, or hunting. More specifically, the invention is directed to a portable shooter's bench which includes a stand from which extend a forearm rest and a seat for supporting an individual in a natural and relaxed position. A firearm support platform is rotatably mounted to a base plate forming the upper portion of the stand so that windage adjustments may be made by slight rotation of the platform. The forearm rest is inclined relative to the firearm support platform and provides for the hand and wrist alignment and stability necessary for precision shooting and marksmanship.
The invention is further directed to shooters' benches of the type set forth above which are completely assembled and disassembled without the use of tools and in which the components thereof are easily stored and carried within a convenient case.
2. History of the Related Art
It is well-known that the accuracy of a firearm, such as a rifle or pistol, is determined by the stability of the firearm when in use. Consistent accuracy is extremely difficult to achieve when a firearm is manually supported and, it is almost impossible under such conditions for an individual to hold a firearm steady enough during its use to obtain optimum accuracy, especially at long ranges. Therefore, supports or benches have been used to eliminate human error in sighting or aiming firearms in the sports of target shooting and hunting. The most basic benches utilized to assist marksmen and hunters generally include a table upon which the firearm may be steadied and a stool or seat upon which the individual may be seated. With most conventional shooters' benches, the shooter is seated on the stool with their forearms extending across the surface of the table or bench. The firearm is steadied either by the use of brackets extending upwardly adjacent each side of the stock or by the use of sandbags which are deformable to cradle or support the stock. One such bench which incorporates a support for the firearm and a separate adjustable stool is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,535,559 to Hall. Although such a bench gives support to the individual's arms and thus provides some degree of stabilization of the shooter's body relative to the firearm, the natural positioning of the individual's forearms, hands and wrists is not established and therefore the bench is somewhat awkward to utilize. Another type of portable shooter's bench which provides support for a shooter's arms and for a firearm, but which does not include an attached seat for supporting the shooter, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,501,082 to Phillips et al. Again, with such a bench, there has been no provision made for allowing the body of the individual to be properly supported to account for the natural extension of their shooting hand, wrist and forearm during use of a firearm.
Other types of shooters' benches have been designed which are portable and which include seat components which are secured directly thereto. Examples of such structures are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,711,984 to Dyer et al., 4,506,466 to Hall, 4,565,403 to Brown and 5,060,410 to Mueller. Although each of these patents disclose portable benches for stabilizing firearms which include seats secured to the benches, there has been no provision made for supporting an individual's wrist and forearm which must be comfortably stabilized to insure optimum and continuous accuracy, especially when firing at long distance targets.
Some of the shooters' benches discussed above have also been designed to facilitate their portability and are easily assembled and/or disassembled and stored in cases for transportation. However, although there has been a great deal of inventive effort directed to improving the handling and storage of shooters' benches and, despite the improvements made in the prior art, such devices have not fully appreciated the need to provide for maximum arm and wrist support and overall user comfort to obtain optimum conditions for sighting and using firing firearms.
Additional examples of shooters' benches and seat and table combinations are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,722,965 to Chapman et al. and 5,067,268 to Ransom and German patent 318,340 dated Jul. 11, 1917.